Pregnant, not sidelined
Maternity policies in women’s sports are improving, but many athletes are still left with subpar support
For decades, pregnancy was treated as a career risk for female athletes. Contracts lapsed, sponsors disappeared, and rankings evaporated. That is changing, with the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) committing to paying competitors 12 months of maternity leave and Athletics Canada no longer classifying pregnancy as an "injury."
These shifts are meaningful. They signal that governing bodies have started treating pregnancy as a normal part of an athlete's life and career rather than a medical setback. But progress has been uneven, and existing support often falls short of athletes’ needs.
The first problem is structural. Tennis, golf, track and field and many Olympic sports are built around independent contractors rather than salaried employees. Athletes’ income comes from prize money, appearance fees and sponsorships, all of which stop when competition does.
Sponsorship is the clearest example. When track and field athlete Allyson Felix publicly challenged Nike in 2019 over a proposed pay cut due to pregnancy, the fallout, which followed allegations from other athletes, pushed the company to guarantee pay and bonuses for 18 months around pregnancy.
While the payout marked a significant win, it came only after high-profile athletes spoke out. Lesser-known athletes, who lack Felix's platform and bargaining power, often have to negotiate these guarantees on their own or forgo them altogether.
This phenomenon extends to team sports, where some leagues have made progress through collective bargaining. But protections still vary widely, and athletes in lower-profile or less-funded sports are the least likely to be covered.
Paid leave is also only half the equation. Returning to elite competition raises questions that most policies barely address. Ranking systems, qualification windows and roster spots are designed around uninterrupted participation, and many sports still force returning athletes to start over or fight for their previously earned rank.
Physical recovery is equally under-supported. Postpartum recovery varies enormously, and research on the effects of pregnancy and childbirth on elite performance remains thin because of female athletes’ underrepresentation in sports science. Without evidence, coaches and medical staff are left guessing, and athletes may be pushed back too fast or doubted unfairly.
Then comes the practical reality of parenting. Travel-heavy sports offer little accommodation for breastfeeding athletes, childcare during tournaments or the cost of hosting a partner or caregiver. Family rooms and childcare remain scarce and usually dependent on an individual organizer's goodwill.
Several implementations would make a real difference. Governing bodies should set baseline standards for paid leave, protected status and non-discrimination that apply across disciplines. Sponsors and national committees should be encouraged to follow, with clear contract language that prevents pay reductions during pregnancy and postpartum. Additionally, protected rankings, deferred qualification windows and guaranteed roster consideration let athletes return without being penalized for their leave.
Further research is required as well. Investment in studies on pregnancy, postpartum recovery and returning to sport would give athletes and medical teams evidence-based guidance, replacing assumptions with data. For athletes with children, childcare, lactation spaces and travel support should be standards, not occasional perks.
Finally, athletes must be involved in creating these policies. Those who have been through pregnancy and return are best suited to identify what is missing. Athlete advisory groups should have real influence over the rules that affect them.
The recent policy changes show that the sporting world can adapt when it chooses to. The next step is to make those protections universal and extend them beyond the delivery room into recovery and return.
Supporting pregnant athletes isn't a favour to individuals; it's a way of keeping talented women in sport and signals to the next generation that they won't have to choose between competing and starting a family.
This article originally appeared in Volume 47, Issue 4, published October 27, 2026.
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